The State High Court sitting in Kaduna on Wednesday ordered that a businessman identified as Balarabe Sadiq, be remanded in prison custody until July 5 over N9 million fraud.

Mr Sadiq was arrainged by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the court for obtaining the money under false pretence.

EFCC prosecution counsel Precious Onyeneho told the court that the defendant committed the offence in September 2021 at NPC Estate, Millennium City in Kaduna.

The defendant was said to have fraudulently obtained the fund from the complainant, Garba Usman, under false pretence of developing a three-bedroom flat for him.

The prosecution alleged that when Mr Usman demanded to have his money back after the defendant failed to deliver the flat, Mr Sadiq gave him flimsy excuses.

The offence contravened Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act 2006.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

NAN